Jesus is the Unity of God’s Love and Severity

Romans 11.21-22 describes God this way, if God didn’t think twice about taking pruning shears to the natural branches, why would he hesitate over you? He wouldn’t give it a second thought. Make sure you stay alert to these qualities of gentle kindness and ruthless severity that exist side by side in God—ruthless with the deadwood, gentle with the grafted shoot. But don’t presume on this gentleness. The moment you become deadwood, you’re out of there.

God is both immensely kind and intensely severe. He Who is love is He Who is holy. These two seemingly opposite qualities exist seamlessly in the One True God. How? (more…)

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What Are You Working At?

Mathew 12.30 observes, this is war, and there is no neutral ground. If you’re not on My side, you’re the enemy; if you’re not helping, you’re making things worse.

The universe is at war. We see the minor conflicts of man against man. God sees the major conflicts of devils against angels and devils against men who war against God and His servants. This war is greater because its casualties are greater. (more…)

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Short term or Long term Investments?

Ezra 9.10-12 says, and now, our God, after all this what can we say for ourselves? For we have thrown your commands to the wind…Whatever you do, don’t cultivate their good opinion; don’t make over them and get them to like you so you can make a lot of money and build up a tidy estate to hand down to your children.

We should want to cultivate the good opinion of men but for the singular purpose of glorifying God. Our lifestyle, our morals, values and behavior, should reflect the character, nature and ways of God Himself for we are His adopted children and we call God our Father. (more…)

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God is NOT a Secret to be Kept

Matthew 5.14-16 teaches us, God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.

God is not a secret to be kept. A popular song echoes this refrain. The key to sharing Him with others is living as light-bearers and being transparent before others. (more…)

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What Does It Mean to be Born Again?

John 3.3 records Jesus replying, “I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born from above, he

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cannot see the kingdom of God.”

In the 1970’s the evangelical Christian Church spoke much about being born again. So much, that those words began to create negative emotions toward the Church and it’s Christ. Yet, being born again or born from above or being born of the Spirit is what God in human form, Jesus, stated was required for entering into His eternal dwelling place. Why? (more…)

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Endurance is a Requirement for Christians

Hebrews 10.36 reminds, you need endurance in order to do God’s will and so receive what is promised.

Why do we need endurance to do God’s will? Does anyone feel the need for endurance? Most people trying to do God’s will want more resources; money, people, time, strength but rarely endurance.

Endurance has the idea of persevering through difficulty. In a world of, with God all things are possible, what do we need endurance for anyway? (more…)

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Who Are You Trying to Please?

1 Thessalonians 2.4 observes, just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we declare it, not to please people but God, who examines our hearts.

The demise of Christian influence in western culture can be attributed in large part to the failure of Christians to consistently and Biblically, present God’s point of view of man, history and Himself. This failure has been facilitated by a desire to not offend people but rather to build bridges with people until people are willing to listen to our message. (more…)

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Striving to be Successful

Isaiah 48.15 I have spoken – yes, I have summoned him; I lead him and he will succeed.

Everyone wants to be successful. It comes from our being created in the image of God, Who described His pleasure in making the universe and all it contains as being very good. After every thing God made He would step back and say to Himself, ‘that is good.’ When He made humanity He was even more pleased, stating, ‘this is very good.’ (more…)

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